


Ours

by Julesmonster



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-17
Updated: 2012-09-17
Packaged: 2017-11-14 11:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/514609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julesmonster/pseuds/Julesmonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Season 3 Finale: What happened when Kurt went home after leaving Rachel and Finn? Where does he go from here? Where does this leave Kurt and Blaine? MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SEASON 3 FINALE. Also, a little Finchel is included.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> A/N: Okay, so a part of me is very pissed off at the way the writers left things for Kurt. Another part of me thinks: well, isn't this the perfect way to keep the boys together? Most of you know that I am usually a PucKurt shipper in my writing, but I really do love Klaine canon. So, this story is my brief response to the finale. This is merely how I hope things play out for our favorite couple. Be warned that it is pretty fluffy and sweet.
> 
> There are six parts and I'll post a section every day until it's all posted. Also, wrote this one quickly, so there may be some mistakes that I missed. Please be patient! Hope you all enjoy! Jules

**PART ONE**

Kurt sat on his front porch steps and stared at the rejection letter from NYADA as he had been doing since leaving Finn and Rachel at the school a few hours ago. A part of him wanted to curl up in a ball and cry his eyes out. Amazingly, another part of him felt relieved. The thought of leaving Blaine for a year, even if they would have breaks and calls and video chats to tide them over, had weighed on him more heavily than he had wanted to admit even to himself. Now that wouldn't be a problem. He could stay right where he was and spend Blaine's senior year with him.

Kurt folded the letter up and put it back into the envelope. He hadn't told his father yet, but he knew that Burt Hummel would be upset for him. He also knew that there wasn't anything that his father could do to make this better. The same went for Blaine. Both of the men in his life would want to fix this, but there was nothing to fix. He would take this year to prepare another audition for NYADA. And in the meantime, he would do what he should have done in the first place: he would apply to other schools in New York. They may not have the best musical theater program in the country, but Pace, Columbia, NYU and Julliard all had great drama and music programs. And if that fell through, he could apply for to the Fashion Institute of New York. Come hell or high water he would go to school in New York with Blaine next year.

With determination, Kurt stood up and walked into the house, only to find that Finn must have already spilled the beans. Burt, Carole and Blaine were all waiting for him with sympathetic looks on their faces.

"This isn't the end of the world," Kurt told them. "It's merely a setback. I will be going to New York next year. For now, I'll work at the garage, save money for school, and prepare for my auditions next year. And I'm going to start considering other options. It was stupid of me to put all my hope in one school."

"Oh, honey," Carole said. "It wasn't stupid. Maybe a little naïve."

Blaine stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Kurt. "Is it totally selfish of me to be just a little bit happy that you'll be here for the next year?"

"Totally," Kurt said with a small teasing smile as he pulled away. "Good thing I don't mind you being selfish when it comes to me."

"I'm feeling a little selfish too," Burt said as he put his arm across Kurt's shoulder and led him into the dining room where Carole had prepared dinner. "I'll have someone at the garage to look after things while I'm in DC. Greg's a good man, but I haven't really had time to show him everything yet. I'll feel better having you around the shop. At least until he's up to speed."

Kurt looked around, "Where's Finn?"

Carole's face fell. "He's not feeling well. I think this hit him harder than he expected."

Kurt nodded. He could understand that. "Rachel said she wants to defer for a year, but I don't think Finn will let her do that."

"She needs to do what's right for her and if they are meant to be together, then it will all work out," Burt said.

"I think it will be a tough sell," Blaine said as he took a seat at the table. "The only thing Rachel loves more than her dreams of being a star is Finn."

"I just hope he doesn't get caught up in the idea of joining the army again," Carole said quietly.

Burt grabbed her hand across the table and squeezed it gently. "It has to be his decision. And if that's what he decides, we'll be there to support him no matter what."

Carole Brushed a tear from her cheek and nodded.

The rest of dinner was reserved as everyone was caught up in their own thoughts. What everyone had hoped would be a celebration was instead a time of mourning.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

"I got a summons from my parents," Blaine said after dinner, when he and Kurt were sitting on the front porch steps and just enjoying the quiet evening. "They said we need to discuss something important."

Since Blaine's parents hadn't once made the trip up to Lima or even called more than a handful of times in the ten months that Blaine had been living there, Kurt wasn't very sympathetic to the Andersons in general. What kind of parent sends their 17 year old son off to live alone in an apartment in a strange town without at least checking up on him? Sure they paid for a nice apartment for him and gave him money, but they weren't there. No matter how convenient it was for Kurt, he thought that Blaine's parents lacked a lot in the way of parenting skills.

"Did they say what it was about?" Kurt said, carefully keeping his feelings in check.

Blaine shook his head. "No. They just asked if I would come down for brunch tomorrow and plan to stay overnight. Would you… would you go with me?"

Kurt hesitated. "If you think they wouldn't object to me being there. But they might want to keep family discussions private."

"You're more my family than they are," Blaine said quietly. He didn't often discuss how distant his parents had become since he came out, but Kurt knew it hurt him more than Blaine let show.

Kurt leaned his head on his boyfriend's shoulder and sighed. "I'll go. Just know I'm not a huge fan of the elder Andersons. I may not be able to be polite if they do something to upset you."

Blaine smiled in the dim light spilling through the window to the living room. He lifted Kurt's face to kiss him gently. "I love when you defend me. No one has ever done that for me before you. Not my parents, not Cooper, no one."

"I'll always defend you," Kurt said. "You are the greatest person I have ever met, and I know some pretty great people. No one has a right to talk bad about you or upset you."

"What did I ever do to deserve you in my life?" Blaine asked.

"You were a saint in a past life," Kurt said. "Now, you should kiss me goodnight and go home before I decide to sneak off to your apartment with you. We have a long trip tomorrow. And I'm driving, so I need to be well rested."

"Oh, you're driving, are you?" Blaine asked with amusement.

"Yes," Kurt declared. "I want your parents to see that I drive a nice car. That way they won't think I'm some gold digger."

"Admit it, you just hate my Miata," Blaine said with a grin.

"I don't hate it," Kurt denied, but his face flushed with guilt. "It's just… you always want to drive with the top down, which is fine in town, but on the highway it totally ruins my hair! I cannot have windblown hair before brunch with your parents!"

Blaine grinned even wider before kissing Kurt. "I do love you, Kurt Hummel."

"I love you too," Kurt replied. "And I'm still driving, right?"

"Of course," Blaine said with mock seriousness. "Pick me up at 9."

Blaine kissed Kurt again before Kurt pushed him away. "Go home Blaine Warbler. If I have to be up at 6 tomorrow to get ready, you need to go home now."

Blaine chuckled again before heading to his car, a red Miata with the top down.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

Surprisingly, the Andersons welcomed them both warmly when they arrived the next morning. Kurt had been to the Anderson home before, but only a handful of times and only twice while Blaine's parents were present. Both occasions had been brief, as the Andersons were on their way out as he was arriving. Though they had been polite, they had also been rather aloof. This time, Mrs. Anderson welcomed him with a brief hug before repeating the gesture with Blaine.

"I'm so glad you boys could come," Mrs. Anderson said. Her husband had shaken both of their hands before standing back. "Wendy has brunch ready, so why don't we go to the dining room and we can all catch up."

The Anderson home was huge, and Kurt never quite got over just how big it was. He followed the elder Andersons into the formal dining room and wasn't surprised to see that they had put out the expensive china and glassware even for a simple family brunch. Kurt took his seat next to Blaine and squeezed his hand under the table, both giving and receiving reassurance. For the next half hour, the conversation was polite as the Andersons asked questions about the two boys and their plans for the coming year.

"Unfortunately, I didn't get into NYADA, so I'm taking the year off to regroup," Kurt said. "I'll try again next year, but I've exploring my other options as well. There are other schools and other careers."

"You should really think about a career in fashion, dear," Mrs. Anderson said. "You have a real talent for putting together the most creative outfits."

Kurt's eyes widened at the compliment. There was no underlying sarcasm behind her words, of that Kurt was sure. "Thank you. I had considered applying to the Fashion Institute of New York, going for a career in design, fashion journalism or costume design. My first love is still the stage, however, so I'm not completely giving up on that dream quite yet."

"Well, if you do decide to go into fashion, I have few contacts in the industry in New York," Mrs. Anderson said. "I would be happy to make introductions when the time comes."

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Kurt said. He was still reeling from just how well everything was going with this visit.

Wendy came back a few minutes later and cleared the table of all but their coffee cups, which she refilled. Once she was gone again, Mr. Anderson cleared his throat.

"Blaine, there was a reason we asked you to come down today," Mr. Anderson said. "As you know, I have made a number of contacts in government over the years. Recently, I was asked to take on the position of US Ambassador to Japan. It would only be a temporary posting, to fill in for the Ambassador who recently was forced to retire due to health concerns. Because of my work in that country, I already have a number of business and political contacts they felt that I would be beneficial."

"So you're moving to Japan?" Blaine asked a little breathlessly. "For how long?"

"I've agreed to take the post for two years, after which we'll consider extending that agreement if it seems to be working for both us and the State Department," Mr. Anderson said. "Your mother and I will both be in Japan for that time."

Blaine blinked a few times as a million thoughts rushed through his mind. He wanted to scream _What about me?_ But his upbringing kept him quiet. "Congratulations."

"We know you don't turn 18 until March, so we've made arrangements for you to be declared an independent minor," Mrs. Anderson said. "You've been doing so well on your own this past year, we didn't think it would really change anything. Paul will be by in an hour with the paperwork."

"As an independent minor you'll be able to access your trust fund from your grandmother," Mr. Anderson said. "And we've arranged for your apartment to be paid through until graduation. Also, your grandmother was confident that you would want to head to New York when you were old enough, so she purchased a condo for you there. It's being rented out right now, but you'll be able to move in next June. The deed is in your name and any income that has been coming in for the past decade has gone into your trust fund."

"She bought me a condo?" Blaine asked with a frown. "When?"

"About ten years ago," Mrs. Anderson said. "The same time she bought a condo for Cooper in LA. She always said she thought Cooper would fit the flash of LA while you were more of a New York person."

"So Cooper's been living in his condo and living off the trust fund she set up for him?" Blaine asked. He'd always gotten the impression from his brother that he was supporting himself. Of course, most struggling actors couldn't afford the designer clothes that Cooper favored.

"Well, he certainly doesn't make enough money from those silly commercials he does to support himself," Mr. Anderson said with a frown. "He's really not a very good actor. I wish he would give up that nonsense and go to school."

Blaine had heard all about his father's feelings on his brother's acting career, so he didn't need to hear it again. "When do you leave?"

"We'll be closing up the house this week," Mrs. Anderson said. "Wendy will still be here to keep things tidy and Ralph will still care for the grounds. We'll only take a few things with us. You'll need to pack up anything you want to take with you while you're here this weekend."

"We fly to Washington on Thursday," Mr. Anderson said. "We'll have briefings there with the State Department for the next month. Then we fly to Tokyo in July."

Blaine took a drink of coffee and considered everything that he had just learned. "What about holidays?"

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson shared a brief look before Blaine's mother spoke. "I'm afraid we won't be able to make it back, Blaine. But I know that you'll have a wonderful time with Kurt and his family."

Blaine scowled. "Mother, you can't just assume that—"

"Of course you'll spend the holidays with us," Kurt said soothingly, interrupting Blaine's tirade. "We're family, remember?"

Blaine turned to look at his boyfriend and returned the sad smile he saw on his face. He knew that Kurt was reminding him of the conversation they just had the day before. And Kurt was right: Kurt was his family. He would rather spend time with him than anyone. But that didn't make the fact that his parents didn't want to be with him hurt any less. They weren't disinheriting him, but they were deserting him nonetheless.

"Paul should be here any minute," Mr. Anderson said, interrupting their private moment. "We should probably head for the office."

For the next three hours, Blaine listened as the lawyer explained everything to him and he signed everything he was asked to sign, but nothing really penetrated the pain that had enveloped him.


	2. Part Two

PART TWO

In Blaine's bedroom later that evening, Kurt and Blaine looked over the paperwork that Paul had left for them. He gave them the specifics of Blaine's trust and the monthly stipend he would begin receiving once his petition for independence was processed. Paul already had a judge willing to sign off on it, so it really was only a matter of filing the papers with the state. The trust would be released to him in full once he turned 21, but until then, Blaine would have large sum of money deposited into his checking account each month. If he had any major expenses not covered by the monthly stipend, he could ask Paul for additional funds to be released.

Paul also included the details about the property that belonged to Blaine. It was actually a 3,600 square foot penthouse in the West Village, one of the priciest neighborhoods in Manhattan. There were pictures from when the place was purchased and it was pretty obvious that the condo was both large and luxurious. There was a large rooftop garden, two bedrooms, a library, and a great room that had a pretty nice kitchen. Paul had also told them that when the renters moved out in April of next year, the place would be refurbished, including a complete gutting of the kitchen.

"It's a great place," Kurt said. "I'm not sure I can imagine living some place quite that nice, but it is very spacious. And the building has some great amenities, like the gym, pool and sauna. And it even has a doorman."

"This sucks, Kurt," Blaine moaned. "I don't care about the damned condo."

"I know sweetie," Kurt said and pressed a kiss to Blaine's temple. "But I don't think there's anything we can do to change the situation."

"I know a lot of kids would be thrilled to be declared independent," Blaine said. "But this isn't about getting out of a bad home. This is about being left behind. It's just one more way for them to show how little they care about me. It's no wonder Cooper got out and never comes back."

"I love you," Kurt said quietly.

"I know," Blaine said and looked up at his boyfriend. "It's the one thing that really keeps this from being so awful." He looked around his old bedroom. "I suppose we should see if there's anything here worth packing and taking with us."

BKBKBKBKBK

Kurt went to work in the garage, and Blaine found himself spending more and more time there as the summer passed. Eventually, Burt got him a pair of coveralls and put him to work.

"If you're going to hang out here, you might as well make yourself useful, kid," Burt said in his usual gruff manner.

After Kurt reported what had happened at the Andersons', both Burt and Carole had taken Blaine under their wing. They had each taken him aside at separate times to tell him that he was part of their family now, no matter what. Their unconditional acceptance was a balm to his heart and Blaine felt a lot better after talking with them. He no longer worried about spending too much time at their house. Whenever he felt lonely or uncertain, they welcomed him with open arms.

The summer wasn't easy for Finn either. After sending Rachel off to New York, he spent almost a week locked up in his room, depressed. When he emerged, he was set on joining the army. Burt and Carole sat and talked to him about it and in the end they all agreed that Finn should wait a year. He should explore his other options and see what came up. It helped that Burt had begun pulling a few strings in DC and got Finn's dad's case reopened. Nothing had changed yet, but at least they were considering the reasons for the man's break from society.

In the meantime, Finn was working at the garage too. Kurt, who already knew pretty much everything there was to know about the running of the business, took the lead in teaching both Finn and Blaine what they needed to know while Burt spent time with Greg. And then when Burt and Carole had to leave for DC, Kurt and Greg worked together to run the garage.

There were a few parties with the glee gang before the end of the summer, but eventually, those who were going to college or other pursuits left one by one and the new school year began.

"I've got applications to five different schools," Kurt told Blaine after school one day in October. "I need a much better essay this time around. And we both need to practice our audition pieces."

"I think I'm going to use one of Mozart's piano pieces and do a monologue from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof for the video for Julliard and NYU," Blaine said. He was going for a dual major in music and drama if he got into either of those schools. "And then for NYADA, I think I'll do something from Bare."

"You should definitely do 'Role of a Lifetime'," Kurt said. "I considered 'Ever After' or 'Best Kept Secret' but I think I'm going to use 'Move On' from Sunday in the Park with George."

"That's a great choice," Blaine said. "Good variety of emotion and tempo. And it will show off your vocal range too. You might consider 'With One Look' from Sunset Boulevard."

"Oh, good idea," Kurt said. "I can use one for the video audition and one for the final audition."

"I think I should apply to Columbia, too, just in case," Blaine said with some uncertainty.

"Probably a good idea," Kurt said. "I'd hate for you to make the same mistake I did and not apply to enough schools. I want to start our life together in New York."

"One good thing about having a place to live already," Blaine said wryly. "At least that's one thing we don't have to worry about."

After that, both boys set to work writing their application essays. They traded back and forth to get an honest opinion before going back and doing a second draft.

"I think we should let someone else read through them before submitting them," Blaine said.

"But who?" Kurt wondered. "I mean, I love Mr. Schuster, and I'm sure he'd be willing to read through them, but he isn't exactly the most brilliant teacher ever."

"I could ask Mr. Williams to read through them," Blaine said. Mr. Williams had been the faculty advisor for the Warblers and was the head of the English department at Dalton. "We've kept in touch."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Kurt said. "He liked me."

"I bet he would write letters of recommendation for both of us, too," Blaine said. "We need at least three for Columbia, NYU and Julliard."

"I've got two from applying to NYADA," Kurt said. "And if Mr. Williams' letter is better, I may just use his instead of Coach Sylvester's this time."

"I think we've made some great progress," Blaine said with a grin. "Now, maybe we can put all of this away and find something more fun to do?"

"Like watch that bootleg video of Anything Goes?" Kurt asked with a teasing smile.

"I was thinking more along the lines of messing up the sheets on my bed," Blaine said with a straight face. "But if you prefer to watch a video…"

"Fuck it," Kurt said as he grabbed Blaine's arm and dragged him towards the bedroom. "It'll still be there tomorrow."

BKBKBKBKBK

Puck came back to Lima a week before Thanksgiving filled with tales about California. "Dude, do you know how many pool cleaning companies are in California? Thousands! I couldn't get a decent client list for the life of me. And the clients I did get were pretty much all gay guys. I didn't mind them watching me clean the pool, but I draw the line on letting them grab my ass."

Kurt and Blaine both choked back laughs while Finn made commiserating noises. "That sucks. So, what are gonna do, Dude?"

Puck shrugged. "Thought I'd see if I could get into community college. I heard they have a program for EMT certification and paramedic training. That sounds better than being stuck in a factory or some shit. Dude, you should totally do something like that, too. And once we're certified, we could go just about anywhere to get jobs."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Blaine said. "Paramedics make decent money and are in demand in most areas."

"And you can meet some great chicks," Puck said with a leer.

Finn shrugged. "I'm kind of happy working at the garage for now. I haven't completely ruled out the army, either."

Kurt sniffed in incredulity. The truth was Finn, while doing quite well at the garage, spent all of his free time holed up in his room moping over Rachel. "You need to get out of the house, Finn. Maybe you should sign up for a few classes at the community college. It doesn't have to be for EMT training. You could take a few different classes and see if anything catches your interest. And if you get decent grades, you could probably transfer them to another school later."

Finn frowned. "So why aren't you taking courses?"

Kurt shrugged. "Because nothing that the community college offers would transfer to any of the schools I'm applying for next year. They don't have any drama, music or fashion classes. Wherever I end up, I'll be studying one or more of those subjects. But you haven't even really considered anything but acting or the army. And neither of those were more than a passing thought until a few weeks before graduation. You really should explore your options."

Finn sighed heavily, knowing that Kurt was probably right. "I just wish…"

"You wish that everything would have worked out for you to go to New York with Rachel," Blaine said. "We all know that. And we're sorry it didn't work out that way. But Kurt's right. You need to think about where you want to go from here."

"If you want to take over the garage some day, that's great," Kurt said. "But be sure that it's really what you want and not just what you settled for. You told Rachel that she needed to trust fate. That she needed to find out what was out there in the word waiting for her. Well the same holds true for you."

"Besides, when you and Rachel get back together in a few years, you don't want to just be some loser that's spent years pining for her," Puck said. "You gotta get a life. Look at me. My dream crashed and burned, but I'm not giving up. I'm gonna do what I gotta do to get the hell out of this town for good."

The next day, Finn went with Puck to the community college and signed up for a few classes for the spring semester.

BKBKBKBKBK

Carole and Burt came back from DC for the holidays, spending most of December in Lima with their boys. They had been home a few times over the course of the fall, since the House of Representatives was only in session a couple weeks at a time with breaks in between. But in January, the schedule picked up and there were fewer visits home.

Meanwhile, the New Directions had easily won sectionals and were planning what they would perform at regionals. Blaine, Tina, Artie and Wade were their strongest singers this year and as a result got most of the leads. Brittany had recruited a couple kids from her dance classes to join, giving them more depth in that area, and there were a number of students who wanted to join the team after their win at nationals. Mr. Schuster was having a blast with coming up with even more ridiculous themes each week. One week he even assigned them to do a mash-up with one Disney song and one pop song. (Kurt wasn't surprised that Blaine came home with a stuffed Mickey for winning that one. Only the ex-Warbler could really pull off pairing "I'm Just a Girl" by No Doubt with "Reflection" from Mulan.)

The New Directions went up against the Warblers again at regionals and Kurt was unsurprised to see that Sebastian was up to the same old tricks. Of course, he wasn't quite as bad as he had been. There were no rock salt slushies, but he did try to steal the New Directions' set list. Luckily, they had used a fake set list for just that reason, so the Warblers ended up singing some really outdated Duran Duran numbers while the New Directions sang a great mash-up of Beyoncé and Madonna along with "Revolution" by the Beatles. They won, of course.

"Third Year in a row that New Directions has made it to Nationals," Kurt said with a grin as he and Blaine drove from the hall in Columbus back to Lima. They were headed for a party at Sugar's house to celebrate.

"You have to go with us," Blaine said. "Between my parents' guilt money and Sugar's father, there's plenty of money for the trip. And I'll even pay for a separate room for us. I just really want to have you there."

Kurt grinned. "I would be honored to see you kick ass at Nationals. It doesn't hurt that they're being held in Los Angeles this year."

Blaine frowned. "I should probably look up Cooper while we're out there."

Kurt squeezed his boyfriend's hand. "He is your brother, even if you aren't very close."

Blaine nodded. "He said he would try to keep in touch more after he visited last year, but he really hasn't."

"He's a boy," Kurt said as if that explained everything. "A straight boy. They are notorious for being unreliable and self-involved."

Blaine chuckled. "I'm not sure you can blame that on him being a straight man, but you could possibly blame it on him being an Anderson."

"Nope," Kurt denied lightly. "I happen to know a very sensitive and caring Anderson who would go out of his way to help a friend, so it can't be that."


	3. Part Three

**PART THREE**

"Kurt?"

Kurt looked up from the car he was servicing and saw his boyfriend heading towards him through the garage. Wiping his hands off on the towel he always kept handy, Kurt smiled in greeting. "What's up, sweetie?"

"The decorator sent me more drawings and pictures of samples," Blaine said. On top of getting ready for Nationals, preparing for finals and rehearsing for their final auditions for school, the decorator hire by Paul had begun harassing him for answers about an apartment he had never even seen in person. "She said she needs answers by tomorrow morning or else she won't be able to get the supplies ordered in time."

Kurt sighed. "I thought we already answered her questions."

"I did too," Blaine said.

"Greg!" Kurt shouted, getting the attention of the garage manager. "I need to take a break for a few minutes. Can you get someone to finish this break job?"

Greg nodded and waved them off before Kurt led the way into the office. Blaine grabbed his laptop from his bag and pulled up the files that the decorator had sent. For the next half hour, the two boys went over all the details.

"So, we're agreed?" Blaine said. "The turquoise glass tiles in the 1x6 inch staggered pattern in the shower, the white 1 inch square tiles on the floor with random turquoise and navy tiles scattered. And the white subway tiles on the walls with the navy and turquoise stripe the same height as the sink backsplash."

"And yes on the built in niches for both the shower and the soaking tub," Kurt said. "And we agreed on the soapstone counters for the kitchen and the cabinets in burled walnut with the simple brushed silver handles."

"She also wanted to know if she should call in a gardener for the rooftop garden and possibly some planters for the balcony at the front of the building."

"I didn't even know there was a balcony at the front of the building," Kurt said with a frown. "Was that on the floor plan she sent?"

"It was," Blaine said, but not marked very clearly. Remember, we both though that there was a hall of some sort off the kitchen and library? It's not a hall."

"Right," Kurt sighed. "I have no idea what to tell her about that."

"We should have someone in to fix it up," Blaine said.

"But then we'll have to find a way to take care of the plants," Kurt said.

Blaine shrugged. "We'll hire someone."

"We will?" Kurt asked with a raised brow.

"We can afford it," Blaine said. "You heard how much money that we're going to get from the trust every month."

Kurt stared at his boyfriend. "Blaine, sweetie, I love you, you know that right?"

"Of course," Blaine said.

Kurt smiled at him. "You keep saying things like we and our when it comes to _your_ money. I love that you want to include me in making these decisions about the apartment, but you do remember that it is _yours_ , right?"

Blaine flushed and turned his face a way for a minute before looking aback at Kurt. "I know, but… you and me, we're a package deal, right? You're it for me, Kurt. I know that. You're my best friend and lover and the person I want to get old with. I thought I was that for you too."

"You are," Kurt said. "Of course you are. I'm never letting you go. You're stuck with me until we're both old and gray and then for decades after that as well."

Blaine smiled at Kurt. "Then it doesn't matter that the money came from my grandmother or that she put the apartment in my name. Everything I have is yours because none of it matters if I don't have you."

Kurt gave a watery chuckle. "In that case, hire the damned landscaper. And tell them I want a fire table out there so we can sit out there on cool fall nights."

Blaine kissed Kurt's cheek. "Anything you want, dearest."

**BKBKBKBKBK**

"Madam Tibideaux loved your performance," Blaine said with a grin after Kurt walked off the stage.

"She loved it last year too," Kurt said. "I still didn't get in. I'm not holding my breath this time."

"Well, she said that she would be making her decision within the week," Blaine said. "I guess that's one benefit of being one of the last stops on her tour. We won't have to wait long."

"In the meantime, I heard that Julliard sent out their letters this week," Kurt said. "And so did NYU and Columbia." Kurt had already heard from the Fashion Institute and knew that if nothing else panned out, he was already accepted there, so some of the pressure was off his shoulders now. "We should go home and check the mail."

Blaine grinned and took Kurt's hand and led the way to the parking lot. They stopped at Blaine's apartment first and, sure enough, there were three envelopes waiting for him from Julliard, NYU and Columbia. They didn't open them there, but took them on to Kurt's house where they found three more envelopes. They settled at the kitchen table to open them together.

Kurt opened Julliard first, since it was the school he had the least shot of getting into. "No go on Julliard." He wasn't that upset. He had known that it was a long shot simply because he didn't have the same formal background in music that Blaine had.

Blaine opened his letter from Julliard. "I made it into the music program but not drama. The admissions dean suggested I take a few courses as a non-major and reapply after the first year."

They shared sympathetic smiles before picking up the letter from NYU next. This time Blaine went first. "I was accepted for both music and drama."

Kurt grinned at his boyfriend as he read over his own acceptance letter. "Me too. And they offered me a partial scholarship for tuition."

Next was Columbia. Kurt went first. "I applied for both design and drama and was accepted for both."

"I was accepted for just music again," Blaine said. "I'm starting to get the feeling that maybe I should consider concentrating on music."

Kurt gave Blaine a long look. "If that's what you want to do, then go for it, but if you want to study both, don't give up acting just because of a couple rejections."

Blaine looked sheepish. "I love Broadway shows, but not like you do. I just want to perform. I've actually always wanted to write and perform my own songs. But you were so excited by the idea of us both doing Broadway that I guess I got caught up in it. I mean, I can imagine doing a guest spot on a show every few years, but I'm not sure that's what I want to do all the time. Is that okay?"

Kurt smiled adoringly at his boyfriend and teased, "Of course it's okay, sweetie. It means I won't have to compete against you for all the best parts."

Blaine chuckled. "Now that is the Kurt Hummel I know and love."

"So I guess this means you won't be going to NYADA, even if they accept you," Kurt said.

"Probably not," Blaine said with a shrug. "I think I'm going to go to Julliard and concentrate on my music and see if I can get a minor in drama. Besides, I was serious when I said I don't think Carmen Tibideaux liked my audition. Not like she loved yours. You totally blew her away. I saw her wipe a tear from her eye when you finished singing 'With One Look'."

"Great Gaga!" Kurt exclaimed. "You didn't tell me that!"

"I told you she loved you," Blaine said easily.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

The trip to LA came before the letters from NYADA, so Blaine and Kurt were forced to spend the time in California still in the dark. Of course, now that Blaine had sent his acceptance to Julliard, his anxiety was totally for Kurt. Well, he was still anxious; he had agreed to meet up with Cooper and he did still have to perform at Nationals, to which Cooper had tickets. Knowing his brother, he would criticize everything about Blaine's performance.

"He's your brother," Kurt said to a nervous Blaine as they headed into elevator in Cooper's building. "He loves you. There is nothing to be worried about."

Blaine sighed. "I know. It's just… he tends to be almost as critical as my father about some things. Not quite, but almost."

"Well, if he says anything negative, I'll just have to bop him in the nose," Kurt said lightly. "Because, you, Blaine Warbler, are perfect just the way you are."

Blaine laughed and stole a quick kiss just as the elevator door slid open to admit them to Cooper's floor. "Thank you."

Surprisingly, Cooper wasn't nearly as bad as he usually was. Over dinner, he spent much of the time talking about himself, but he did eventually ask about Blaine and Kurt's plans for after graduation. He was glad that they had both been accepted into schools in New York and would be going there together.

"Grandmother's gift is pretty great, isn't it?" Cooper asked. "There's no way I could afford a place this nice on what I make. I'm sure she got you a place just as great."

"The renovations are just about done," Blaine said. "But we haven't really seen anything yet. We got four or five pictures of the place from when grandmother bought it, but nothing that really gives a clear picture of what it's like."

"Well then, it will be a surprise," Cooper said with a smile. "I'll have to come out and visit some time, see where my little brother is living, since mom and dad aren't around to do it."

"That would actually be really nice," Blaine said. "Burt and Carole are coming out for a week to help us settle in, but it would be nice to have you there too, sometime."

**BKBKBKBKBK**

Kurt sat in the audience between Mr. Schuster and Coach Beiste during the final round of competition. Like the year before, New Directions had made it through the first two eliminations and was one of the top three groups. Just by being up there, they had proved that their win the year before had not been a fluke. They really were that good. Whatever place they took—first, second or third—it was all icing at this point. Not that Kurt didn't want them to win, but really, it didn't matter.

And then the curtain rose and he saw Blaine standing there, in the spotlight. He was signing 'Role of a Lifetime' from _Bare_ , just as he had for his audition to NYADA. Last year there had been a requirement for retro and this year it was musical theater. And Blaine really did perform that song amazingly well. He brought tears to Kurt's eyes as their gazes met across the auditorium.

When he finished, the audience exploded. They actually missed the first measures of the next song as they applauded and shouted their praise. The next song was "Tonight I'm Loving You" by Enrique Iglesias with Artie taking the lead. Then Tina, Unique and Brittany did "Wait a Minute" by the pussycat Dolls with Sam and Joe taking the male roles. It was a great performance with a lot of great dance moves, but Kurt's favorite performance would have to be Blaine's, and not just because he was Kurt's boyfriend.

When the New Directions were finished, there was no doubt in Kurt's mind that they had won.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

On the flight back to Ohio, Blaine sat beside Kurt with a perpetual grin on his face. "Did you hear what Coop said?"

Kurt smiled indulgently at his boyfriend. "Yes, Blaine, sweetie, I did hear. And if I had forgotten, you've reminded me ten times since."

Blaine's grin faded a little. "Sorry. I'm just not used to getting compliments from anyone in my family."

Kurt immediately felt horrible. "No, I'm sorry. You have a right to be happy. I know how important that was to you. I don't mind letting you share your excitement."

"He actually said I was the best performer up there," Blaine said with wonder.

"The fact that you were awarded the MVP should have been a clue to even the most self-absorbed," Kurt said. "You really did steal the show with your performance."

"That's only thanks to you," Blaine said and kissed Kurt's cheek. "You are the one who suggested that song and listened to me rehearse for weeks. Thank you."

"It's always a pleasure to listen to you sing," Kurt said honestly.

"I feel the same about you," Blaine said. "I don't think there's a single person alive who I would like to listen to more."

"Good, because pretty soon, you'll be listening to me sing in the shower every morning," Kurt teased.

"Wow, only three weeks until we head for New York," Blaine said with some awe. "I can't believe this year has gone by so quickly."

"Me neither," Kurt sighed. "But pretty soon, we'll be off to start our life together."

"That sounds really nice," Blaine said.

"Have you started packing yet?" Kurt asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well…"

"Don't worry," Kurt said. "That's why you have me around. We'll start sorting and packing everything this weekend. By the time the movers arrive, you'll be ready."

"You are the best boyfriend ever," Blaine said.


	4. Part Four

**PART FOUR**

Their letters from NYADA were waiting for them when they got home, as were Finn, Carole and Burt. There would be no privacy to open these letters.

"Do you realize how difficult it was to keep your father and Finn away from that envelope?" Carole asked wryly as she handed the letter over to Kurt.

"I can imagine," Kurt told her with a smile. "I always knew you were a strong woman."

"So, come on!" Finn said impatiently. You would think it was his future being decided.

Kurt ripped the envelope and pulled out the letter. He simply stared at it for a long moment before taking a deep breath. "I… I got in."

And there was no time for more words because he was being crushed from all sides by the four most important people in his life as they all talked over each other.

"I need to breathe," Kurt finally gasped out and the others finally backed off. Except for Blaine, who kept an arm around his shoulders. They offered me a scholarship and placement in their advanced program. That means they will arrange internships every summer, starting with this one. I'll be working as a gopher basically to a director, but I'll be working on Broadway!"

"That is so awesome!" Blaine said and hugged Kurt again.

"What about you?" Burt finally asked Blaine. "Are you going to open yours?"

"Sure," Blaine said as he accepted the letter from Carole. "But it doesn't really matter. I already accepted at Julliard. I want to get a music degree and their program is the best in the country."

He tore open the letter and read it through, with Kurt looking over his shoulder. "I got in." It was said with no small amount of disbelief.

Kurt smiled at him. "You sure you don't want to rethink your choice?"

Blaine stared at the letter and the looked at Kurt. "No. I'm sure that Julliard is the right place for me. But this really… It just feels good, you know?"

"I do," Kurt said.

"Well, you guys aren't the only ones with news," Finn finally said with a smile. "I already told mom and Burt while you were gone, but I applied to Ohio State and was accepted. I'm gonna get my degree in education. I'm hoping to get certified in physical education and music."

"That's really great!" Blaine said enthusiastically before giving Finn a hug.

Kurt took his turn hugging Finn. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Yeah," Finn said with a dopey grin. "Me too. Puck's only got a year left before he finishes his paramedic's program and he's gonna try and get a job in Columbus so we can get a place together. Until then, I'll be in the dorms."

A very teary Carole spoke up, "All my boys are leaving!"

**BKBKBKBKBK**

Graduation went as expected. Artie was made Valedictorian but Blaine was named Salutatorian, much to his embarrassment. While none of the Andersons made it to Lima for the big day, Blaine was happy to have his other family there for him. Burt, Carole, Finn and Kurt all cheered loudly when his name was called to receive his diploma. Afterward, there were pictures and dinner at Breadstix before everyone went to Tina's house for a post graduation party.

All the kids who had gone off to college the year before were back home for the summer and were invited along with all the glee kids from that year. Finn and Rachel, who had kept in touch through the year, spent the entire party talking about whether or not they should try to make a long distance relationship work for the next three years, or if they should continue as they had been. In the end, they decided to hold off on getting back together, but that didn't stop them from planning to spend all of their time together that summer.

Kurt and Blaine spent a lot of time answering questions about their plan for the summer. Rachel was ecstatic when she heard that Kurt had been accepted at NYADA, though she was obviously jealous that he was accepted into the accelerated program.

"We're going to have so much fun together!" Rachel declared. "I'll show you all around New York and introduce you to all of my new friends."

"Well, we're actually moving this week," Blaine said.

"My first internship starts in two weeks and we want to get settled first," Kurt told her. "And Blaine signed up for a couple summer courses at Julliard."

"We'll have a little time to explore before everything gets busy, but not much," Blaine said.

"I'm going with Burt and Carole to help them move in," Finn said.

"Oh," Rachel said. "Finn told me that you already have a place to live off campus."

"Yeah, my grandmother left me a condo," Blaine said. "You'll definitely have to come over when you get back."

"We haven't even seen it yet," Kurt told her. "But it's in the West Village, so it isn't far from NYADA. But Blaine will have a little bit of a commute up to Julliard."

"Well, I definitely want to see this place," Rachel said.

The rest of the party was spent finding out how everyone else was doing at their various schools, and sharing news about where the graduates would be going that fall. Tina had been accepted at Northwestern, so she and Mike would be going to school together that fall. Artie was going to Yale, and Quinn was very excited to have him there. Brittany would be joining Santana in New York. Santana had spent the year working at a bar while she attempted to get a singing career off the ground. Brittany, who had finally graduated with a lot of help from her friends, had auditioned for and been accepted into a small dance troupe. And Sam had gotten a football scholarship for Wright State.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

The moving company had come to pack up both Kurt and Blaine's boxes, and soon everyone climbed into the Navigator and headed for New York. It was a long drive and Burt decided to break it up with a night in a hotel in New Jersey. So when they finally made their way through the Lincoln Tunnel and into Manhattan, everyone was alert and awake.

"Not a bad neighborhood," Burt commented as he turned the SUV onto their street. It was tree-lined and had mostly brownstones. Blaine knew from his Google map search that their building would be close to Seventh Ave, so he had Burt pull into the closest parking space and then paid the muni-meter.

Together, the five members of the Hudson-Hummel-Anderson family walked up to what would be Kurt and Blaine's new home. The only thing they carried with them were their overnight bags; the rest would come when the movers arrived. Blaine led the way into the building and gave a smile to the doorman before stepping up to the guard at the security desk. A brief discussion and a quick check of his ID and Blaine had the keys to their condo.

"It's on the seventh floor," Blaine told them as he joined them by the elevators.

"There are only seven floors," Finn pointed out. "So that means you guys are at the top?"

"That's what it means," Kurt said. "What did you think I meant when I told you it was a penthouse?"

Finn flushed. "I don't know. I thought maybe that was like some code word for bachelor pad or something."

Carole laughed at her flustered son as the elevator began ascending. "No, sweetie. A penthouse means it's on the top floor."

"Seven floors isn't very high," Burt commented.

"The bedrock in this area of Manhattan is really deep so there's no way to support higher structures," Kurt said. "Seven or eight floors is pretty much the max around here. Which is why there are so many brownstones."

The elevator arrived and they all stepped into the small hallway. To the right of the elevator, was the stairs. To the left was a door marked garbage and recycling. The only other door in the hall was the double door that led to their apartment.

"You got the whole floor to yourself?" Finn asked. "Cool."

"The building isn't that big," Blaine said with a blush. "There are only 15 units total, and most floors have only two or three apartments."

"Just open the door, sweetie," Kurt told his boyfriend. He knew that Blaine sometimes was embarrassed by his wealth, but this time it was a good thing.

"Right," Blaine said and put the key into the lock. He opened the door and then turned off the alarm with the code Paul had given him. "We'll need to change the alarm code."

They were all in the small foyer, but from there they could see the huge living room. It was completely decorated, along with the rest of the condo, in simple modern furnishings. Kurt had suggested a warm cream color as their base with the judicious use of color in the accessories. The decorator had done exactly that and the result was a warm and inviting space.

"Wow," Finn said. "This is nice."

Kurt walked to the left, towards the open kitchen and dining room. The decorator had picked up the red from the living room and used it in the glass tile backsplash in that room. The dark cabinets contrasted perfectly with the cream walls. And the long rectangular dining table was sleek and modern without being cold. The decorator had set it for four with red place mats and a runner, along with simple square white plates.

Blaine came up behind him and pulled Kurt toward the French doors beyond the dining table. They stepped out onto the balcony and were rather impressed. There was a small table and two chairs out there, perfect for a cup of coffee in the morning. The view overlooked Manhattan to the south, and they could see where the Freedom Tower was being erected.

"It's beautiful," Kurt murmured.

"Yeah," Blaine agreed. Then he led the way back inside through the other set of French doors which led into the library. Blaine and Kurt had agreed that they would use this for their music room, and the baby grand piano that was already in place took up almost half of the room. There was still room for two desks and a couple of armchairs. The walls were almost completely covered in built-in bookshelves. "I think we need more books."

Kurt laughed. "My old issues of Vogue will take up at least one of those cases. And we'll both be accumulating books for school. I don't think it will take long for us to fill those shelves."

They found the others back in the living room. "Why aren't you looking around?"

"We thought you boys would like the chance to see everything yourselves first," Burt said.

"You have to go check out the kitchen, Carole," Kurt said. "And the balcony."

Then the boys continued their exploration. Off the living room they found the door to the guest suite. There was plenty of light from the west facing windows. The fact that there just weren't many buildings as tall as theirs in the neighborhood meant that they had windows in all directions. And with all the brownstones to the west, there was little likelihood that would change anytime soon. The guest suite had a small bathroom and walk-in closet and the decorator had kept to the warm modern theme with sage green walls and simple cream bed linens. The guest towels in the bathroom were sage green and cream as well, giving continuity to the two rooms.

Next they found the half-bath. Through that bathroom, was the small utility room.

Finally they came to the master suite. Taking up the entire northeast corner of the building, their bedroom was quite large. There was a king sized bed that looked quite luxurious. There was more color in this room, but it still kept the warmth from the rest of the apartment. The linens were a palette of greens and blues and browns. The walls were a warm shade of tan. The artwork in the room brought the colors and styles together.

The master bathroom, with the white blue and turquoise tiles that Kurt and Blaine had picked out months ago, was warmed up with the dark wood of the sleek sink cabinets with the pair of top mounted blown glass basins in swirls of blue and green. There were other built in cabinets as well; plenty of storage for all of Kurt's moisturizers and other necessities. The soaking tub was perfect, as was the steam shower. In all, it reminded Kurt of a spa.

From the master suite, they went through another set of French doors to the garden. The garden took up the northeast corner of the building and could be accessed by both the master suite and the living room. Dark teak furniture with bright striped cushions was scattered around the space in a casual seating arrangement with a low set fire table at the center. All around the perimeter, flowers and shrubs grew and gave the private garden the feel of being in a park, rather than in the city. But from that garden they had a perfect view of the Empire State Building uptown.

"It's perfect," Kurt finally said as he took a seat on the loveseat by the fire table.

"Yeah," Blaine agreed as he sat with him. Inside they could both hear Finn shouting at the television—he must have found a game to watch. They were sure that Burt and Carole would catch up to them soon. And then the movers were scheduled to arrive at any time. But none of that mattered right then as they simply soaked in the feeling of being home.


	5. Part Five

**PART FIVE**

The Hudson-Hummels spent a week in New York. It only took a couple days to really get the boys unpacked, since most of the household items they would need had already been bought by the decorator. Even the kitchen was fully equipped with dishes and cooking necessities. They found the local grocer and stocked up the pantry with Carole. But the rest of the time in New York was spent doing the tourist thing. They went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. They shopped on 5th Avenue. They went to the top of the Empire State Building. They spent an afternoon at the Natural History Museum. Blaine, Finn and Burt even talked Carole and Kurt into spending an evening at a Yankees game.

Burt insisted that they check out the campus of both NYADA and Julliard so that he could be sure that both Kurt and Blaine would be safe. When they finally got the Navigator out of the parking garage and loaded up for their return to Ohio, Burt felt a little better about letting his son loose on New York.

"We'll stop up for a weekend or two this fall," Burt said as he hugged his son tightly. "It's not a long drive from DC. Or we could take a train."

"That will be nice," Kurt said with a smile. "You listen when Carole tells you what you can and can't eat."

Burt chuckled. "I always do. Between the two of you, I never get to eat anything fun."

"We just want to keep you around for a very long time," Kurt said. "And to do that, you have to be healthy."

"I know, kiddo," Burt said. "I want you around for a long time too, so you be careful."

Kurt pulled away and smiled up at his father. "I will. But you have to admit, I was made for this city."

Burt smiled. "Yeah, you were."

"Burt?" Carole called from her spot in the passenger seat. "We need to get going if we want to make it home today."

Burt finally released Kurt and Blaine stepped up to wrap his arm around his boyfriend. Burt smiled at them. "You boys look out for each other."

"We will," Blaine promised.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

"I cannot believe you just did that," Kurt huffed as he stared at Blaine. They had been in New York for almost a month and learning to live together was not as easy as either had believed it would be.

Blaine glanced at the rain jacket he had just hung on the back of the stool at the breakfast bar. It was not in the cupboard in the foyer, where Kurt had deemed all jackets belong. "Kurt, love of my life, I cannot believe that you are getting so upset over a jacket. A jacket that I am going to put back on in half an hour so that I can pick up our dinner from that Thai place you love so much but doesn't deliver."

"It doesn't take any more time to hang it in the closet," Kurt argued. He was taking out his frustrations on the muffin batter he was mixing. They would have healthy and portable muffins to take with them for breakfast for the next couple days. It was a much better option than Blaine's preference for stopping for a bagel loaded with cream cheese on his way to class each morning.

"Kurt, I love you," Blaine said with frustration evident in his voice. "But I cannot live in a museum. I like a tidy apartment as much as you do, but one freaking jacket on the back of the chair isn't hurting anyone."

Kurt glared at him and Blaine sighed. "I'm gonna go walk until it's time to pick up our dinner." He grabbed the offending jacket and pulled it on. He was almost to the front door when Kurt caught up with him.

"I'm sorry," Kurt murmured. "You don't have to go walk in the rain just because I'm being a bitch. In fact, I can call and cancel our order. We can get pizza delivered instead."

Pizza was a huge concession for Kurt, who watched everything he ate. Blaine hugged his boyfriend and said, "I don't mind going to pick up dinner. Honestly."

"You are entirely too good to me," Kurt said before giving Blaine a light kiss. "Maybe I'll put the muffin batter in the fridge and go with you. I can bake them later."

"A romantic walk in the rain," Blaine said. "Sounds nice."

"And I can wear my new raincoat," Kurt said with a grin. "It has matching boots."

"Sounds very Marlo Thomas," Blaine said with a smile.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

"Wow," Rachel said as she stepped into the foyer of Blaine and Kurt's apartment. "This is…"

"Over the top?" Kurt supplied wryly. "Yeah, but it's home."

"I love it," Rachel said sincerely as she allowed Kurt to take her jacket. "You weren't kidding when you said Blaine's family has money."

"Actually, this is all his," Kurt said. "Part of his inheritance from his grandmother. He receives an insane amount of money every month from his trust fund, too."

"Where is Blaine?" Rachel asked.

"He's late getting back from class," Kurt said as he led the way into the kitchen. "He texted before he reached the subway. He should be here in a half hour or so. In the meantime, you're stuck with me."

She took a seat at the counter and watched as Kurt worked on putting together their dinner. "How is living together? Are you through the awkward adjustment period yet?"

"Sort of," Kurt said as he checked that the salmon and tofu kebabs were marinating properly. They would be the last thing to be cooked. In the meantime, he was putting together the vegan pasta salad and the fresh green bean salad tossed with goat cheese. "Blaine is not messy, by any stretch of the imagination, but he's not quite as obsessed with tidiness as I can be when I'm stressed. We've come to a sort of truce. As long as he puts things away before bed each night I try not to bitch at him for leaving stuff laying around."

"Still, it has to be better than living with Finn," Rachel said.

"Don't remind me," Kurt sighed. "He was a complete slob. Of course, I didn't have to compete with Finn for bathroom time."

Rachel giggled. "I know how long you take to get ready in the morning. Is Blaine as bad?"

"Not quite, but almost," Kurt admitted. "It takes time to tame his curls into something presentable."

"I thought you loved his curls?" Rachel teased.

"I do," Kurt said vehemently. "But if he just lets them go, they look like they did at prom. No one wants to see him looking like Borat. He uses less gel, but it still takes time with a diffuser and several styling products to keep the frizz away. There are some mornings I want to just say to hell with it and slick his hair with gel myself.

"But we're learning how to work around each other," Kurt said as he put the finishing touches to their salads. "It helps that we have an enormous bathroom where we can spread out a bit. Come on, I'll give you the tour. I can't put the kebabs on the grill until Blaine gets here anyway."

Rachel was most impressed by their library/music room. "Oh my god, Kurt! This room is perfect. How many instruments does Blaine play, anyway?"

Kurt looked around the room. "Well, we both play piano, but Blaine also plays guitar, ukulele, violin, and the drums. I won't let him play those when I'm home. I had enough of that with living with Finn. Besides, they really aren't his favorite. He's much happier playing piano or guitar."

"I had no idea he played so many instruments," Rachel marveled.

"There's a reason he's going to Julliard for music instead of NYADA," Kurt said with some pride for his partner. "He writes some really great songs, too. You'll have to ask him if he'll play something for you tonight."

"I'll do that," Rachel said.

Their tour continues, and Rachel was properly impressed with both the indoor and outdoor spaces. "Your guest room is bigger and nicer than my dorm room. And it has a private bathroom."

"I am _so_ grateful that Blaine's grandmother gave him this place," Kurt said. "I'm not sure if I could have coped with sharing a bathroom with an entire floor of teenage boys."

They ended up out in the garden with two glasses of wine. Kurt wasn't entirely used to wine yet, but he was determined to learn to appreciate it. The fact that the housekeeper that Blaine insisted on hiring did most of their food shopping for them, including beverages, made it very easy for him to develop a taste for a variety of wines. Right now, he was favoring Riesling.

"Honey, I'm home!" Blaine called out as he stepped out the French doors and went to Kurt's side. He kissed his temple as he perched on the arm of Kurt's chair before turning to greet Rachel. "Hey Rachel! Sorry I'm late."

"No problem," Rachel said. "Kurt and I were just admiring the view."

"Why don't you go clean up and I'll put the kebabs on the grill," Kurt suggested. "Then we'll eat out here while it's still warm enough to enjoy the evening outside."

"Yes, dear," Blaine said with a grin. He kissed Kurt's cheek and stood, going through the open French doors to their bedroom.

While he cleaned up, Kurt and Rachel brought the food out to the table in the garden. The grill, which Kurt had lit when they first went outside, was nicely heated, so he threw the kebabs on to cook. In just a few minutes, Blaine had rejoined them, with his own glass of wine in one hand and a fresh bottle of wine in the other.

Dinner was a fun time as the three friends caught up. Though Rachel and Kurt went to the same school, they didn't share any classes and rarely saw each other. Though school had only been in session a couple weeks, it was pretty clear that their paths would not cross often if they didn't make the attempt to meet up.

"So, how was the summer with Finn?" Kurt finally asked after they had consumed all of the food and had emptied the second bottle of wine.

Rachel, who had been giggling just moments before, sighed. "It was… I don't know. When we're together, he's all I can think about. But… when I'm here, I'm so focused on my future and my career that I hardly miss him. Is that completely awful?"

Kurt, who couldn't imagine not missing Blaine terribly if they were to ever be apart, couldn't really relate. "Not _awful_ …"

"Not awful at all," Blaine said with a pointed look at his partner. "But maybe that's a sign that things aren't quite right for the two of you. We all know that you love Finn and that he loves you, but perhaps it's not the kind of love that was meant to last forever. Or maybe it isn't meant to be right now."

Rachel nodded. "Maybe. You know, I was so hurt and angry with Finn for a while after I got here last year. He pretty much took my right to choose away from me and shoved me out the door. But after a while, I realized that he did it for me and I couldn't be angry any more. He said that if we were meant to be together, then it would happen, but right now we both have to go our own way for a while."

"Finn's not always the brightest bulb in the box, but he has a gift for understanding feelings," Kurt said. "I think that's one reason he'll make a great teacher someday."

"Yes, he will," Rachel agreed with a fond smile."Anyway, we agreed that we were both going to try dating other people this year. I don't think it's fair to either of us to cling to something that we've both agreed to put on hold."

"Anyone in particular you have in mind?" Blaine asked, though Kurt was just as curious.

Rachel blushed, which told them that there was. "Not really."

"Rachel…" Kurt said in a firm voice.

"Oh, alright," Rachel huffed. "I… I met up with Jesse last week. Did you know that he put in a good word with Carmen Tibideaux for me at Nationals last year? She told me. Anyway, when I saw him, I thought I'd say thanks. We ended up getting coffee and talking for hours. And he asked me out again."

"Jesse St. Jerk?" Kurt said with deadly sarcasm. "What is he even doing in New York? I thought he was totally committed to making Vocal Adrenaline into National Champs again."

"Well, after Wade/Unique transferred to McKinley, they let him go," Rachel said. "Anyway, he decided that he wasn't going to give up on his career because of a few setbacks and came to New York. He's working in a music store and going on auditions. He's even taking night classes at NYU."

"From everything I've heard, this guy wasn't very nice to you when you dated," Blaine said warily.

"I know," Rachel said. "But that was the first time and then we dated again junior year and he was a lot nicer. But I messed things up when I kissed Finn at nationals. So that was totally my fault. But he was still nice to me and said those good things about me, so maybe he's not as self-absorbed as he used to be."

"Maybe," Kurt said cautiously. "Just… just be careful, Rachel."


	6. Part Six

**PART SIX**

Kurt and Blaine sat down at a table in the corner of the bar and ordered sodas from the waitress. Kurt took a look around the place and sighed. "It's not terrible, but…"

"Not a place either of us would frequent," Blaine agreed. The bar was actually pretty clean, but it was dark and a bit loud. The music blaring through the speakers was a lot more hard rock than either of them preferred. The one good thing about the place was the fact that it was obviously a mixed crowd, with both gay and straight couples.

"Oh! There's Britt!" Kurt squealed and stood up to wave the blond over. "Britt!"

Brittany skipped over when she saw them, a huge smile on her face. "Kurt! Blaine! My two favorite dolphins. Have you made any baby dolphins yet?"

Blaine and Kurt shared a look before Kurt smiled. "No baby dolphins. Remember, we're both boys, so we can't have babies."

"Oh, that's right," Britt said with a smile. "San's singing tonight."

"We know," Blaine said. "That's why we're here. How're things going with the dance troupe?"

That got Brittany's mouth going. For the next fifteen minutes they heard all about the small dance troupe and each of the members, complete with Brittany-isms. "Mr. Schuster said I can be the lead in our next show. You should really come."

"We'd love to see you perform," Kurt said. "But, did you say Mr. Schuster?"

Brittany frowned. "I know that isn't his name, but never can remember what it's supposed to be. And he got really offended when I called him curly, cuz his hair is all curly like Mr. Schuster's. So now I just call him Mr. Schuster and he's okay with that."

"Well," Blaine said, clearly baffled even after spending the last couple years getting to know Brittany's oddness. He was saved from having to say any more since the lights dimmed and someone went up to the mike on the small stage and announced that Santana would be singing. A moment later, Santana stepped onto the stage, followed by a pianist and a guitar player, and took the microphone.

"She looks good," Kurt whispered to Blaine. It was true. He didn't think he had ever seen Santana look more comfortable in her own skin as she did right then. She looked happy.

The audience obviously knew her well, as several of the people called out greetings. Santana smirked and sent back good natured insults. Though the words were similar to some of the taunts they had heard from the Latina in school, the hostility that had always been present was now missing.

For the next hour, Santana sang a number of songs, some familiar covers of famous artists, and some were obviously original songs, though neither boy was sure if she had written them or someone else. When the lights came up again, Santana went to the bar for a minute and grabbed a drink before heading over to the table where the three old friends sat.

"So, Porcelain and the Hobbit," Santana said, but there was a wide grin on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"We heard that this is where you hang out," Kurt said.

"And you didn't run in the other direction?" Santana laughed. Kurt and Blaine joined her as they exchanged hugs.

"You were great up there," Blaine said. "Really at home."

"I should be," Santana said wryly. "I work behind the bar most nights and sing on weekends. It's not much, but it pays the bills for now."

"Ooh!" Brittany squealed. "You should totally come over for dinner at our place sometime!"

"Sure," Kurt said with a grin. "And you'll come to ours, too. Santana, you'll have to talk Blaine into playing some of his songs for you. I bet he has a few that would be great for your voice and this crowd."

"You write music?" Santana asked.

"A little," Blaine said modestly. "Well, okay, a lot, but not all of it is good."

"Let me be the judge of that," Santana said. "Jake, the guy who was playing piano, writes some, but it isn't that great. Still, it's better than singing covers all the time."

The bar was starting to get really crowded and rowdy as the night drew on, and Santana had to go back on stage, so the friends set a time to get together for dinner and to listen to some of Blaine's songs before Blaine and Kurt headed out.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

The two boys made it through their first semester finals with hardly any tears or fighting. It was stressful, but not so bad that they didn't find time to help each other unwind after long days of studying. When everything was done, however, they packed their bags and headed to JFK for a flight back to Ohio. Finn picked them up from the airport in Columbus after his last final and they all headed up to Lima, squeezed into the front of Finn's pickup truck together.

"So, you see much of Rachel?" Finn asked casually—a little too casually to be believed.

"We don't really share any classes," Kurt said. "But we do have lunch together sometimes and she's been to the apartment for dinner a few times. Why?"

"She, um… does she talk about me?" Finn asked.

Blaine and Kurt shared a look, neither knowing how to break the news to Finn. "She does, a little," Blaine finally said. "But…"

"But she's been dating Jesse," Kurt finally blurted out. "For a few months now. It's not serious or anything, but they do go out about once a week."

"Oh," Finn said. He was obviously trying to hide his hurt at the news, but was doing a poor job of it. "Well, I guess… we did agree to date other people, so…"

"Have you found anyone to date?" Blaine asked carefully.

Finn shrugged. "I've dated a couple girls, but not more than a handful of dates with either of them. They weren't…"

"Rachel?" Kurt said sympathetically.

"Yeah," Finn sighed. He looked to be fighting with himself over what he wanted to say next. "I just don't know what to do. I still love her. But I'm the one who sent her away to chase her dream. I'm the one who said that we should wait and see what fate brought us. If we're meant to be together, we will be. But… I'm so tired of waiting. I want to be with her. But I can't. I'm doing good at Ohio State, but I'm pretty sure it's not good enough to transfer to a school in New York."

"Maybe you should do what you told Rachel," Blaine said. "Let go. If you were meant to be together, then you'll find each other again. But right now, I think it's hurting you more to hold onto something that doesn't exist than it would to just let it go."

"But what if I give up and I never get her back?" Finn asked in a hushed and frightened voice.

"Then it wasn't meant to be," Kurt told his brother. "You are a catch, Finn Hudson. Any girl would give her right arm to be with you. You will find the perfect girl for you. If it's Rachel, or some girl you've never met before, you'll know when it happens."

Finn looked at his brother for a moment before turning his eyes back to the road. "Did you?"

Blaine and Kurt shared another look before Kurt answered him. "I did. I think Blaine took a little longer to figure it all out, but I knew the very first time I saw Blaine. He was everything I could want in boyfriend and partner. And the more I got to know him, the more I knew that I was right. It wasn't that he's perfect, just that he's perfect for me."

"We bring out the best in each other," Blaine said. "And I might not have known exactly what we were going to be to each other right away, but I knew that I always wanted Kurt in my life. I don't just serenade perfect strangers without reason."

Kurt snorted. "Yes you do. What about that lady in the subway station this morning?"

"She looked depressed," Blaine said with a pout. "I was trying to cheer her up. And it worked!"

Kurt had to admit that the woman had been blushing and laughing before it was all over. "I'll give you that."

"Anyway, Finn," Blaine said. "Don't think that everything is perfect for me and Kurt. We fight. We get on each other's nerves. We have to work at making our relationship this solid. But there are no doubts between us. I have never once doubted that Kurt is just as committed to our relationship as I am. I have never once doubted that we will still be together in fifty years."

Kurt squeezed his boyfriend's hand and shared a smile with him. "I've never had any doubt about that either."

"So why aren't you guys married?" Finn asked with a small teasing smirk. He was ready to talk about something besides his failed relationship.

"There's time for that later," Blaine said. "We don't need to rush anything. Besides, we'll want to save up some money so that we can do it right."

"What about your parents?" Finn asked. "Wouldn't they help? I know Mom and Burt would."

"Well, they're still in Japan," Blaine said quietly. "And I'm not really sure whether they would help or not. Probably not until we graduate, if they do at all."

"We aren't in a hurry," Kurt said and rested his head on Blaine's shoulder. "We'll do that when it's right for us."

**BKBKBKBKBK**

"I meant what I said today, in the truck," Blaine told Kurt later that night as they lay in bed in Kurt's old room. It was a minor miracle that Burt Hummel had given in to both Kurt and Carole's cajoling and let the other boy stay with his boyfriend and not on the sofa.

"About getting married?" Kurt asked quietly. He felt Blaine nod his head against his shoulder in the dark. "Me too. I told Finn and Rachel that I thought they were crazy to get married right out of high school, but it's different with us. I'd marry you today and not regret it for a second. But I also know that we don't need that piece of paper to confirm what we already both know. IT can wait for a while until we're ready.

"Finn and Rachel had some serious issues that they weren't ready to face," Blaine said. "It would have been a mistake for them to get married back then. They hadn't even been back together a year when Finn proposed."

"We had our own issues back then," Kurt reminded him.

"We did," Blaine allowed. "But we worked through them. And our issues had more to do with insecurity than any true problems. You were insecure because Sebastian went out of his way to make you feel that way. And then I was insecure about you leaving."

"I can admit to you now that I was sort of relieved when I didn't get into NYADA right away," Kurt said. "I wasn't any happier about leaving you than you were about me leaving." He paused for a moment. "I think the biggest difference between us and Finn and Rachel is the fact that no matter what happens, you are my first priority. If it meant giving up my dreams of Broadway to be with you, I would do it in a heartbeat."

"And I would give up my music for you," Blaine said. "Without you, there would be no reason to sing, anyway."

"I know what you mean," Kurt said.

"Just promise me that no matter what happens, we'll work it out together," Blaine said.

"I promise," Kurt vowed.

"I promise too," Blaine said. "I love you."

"And I love you," Kurt said with a sleepy smile. "Now shut up and go to sleep before my dad busts in to see what we're doing in here."

Blaine chuckled but settled down, pulling Kurt just a little closer to his side.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

_Epilogue – Six years later_

Kurt looked out the window at the people passing by and smiled. It was finally here, the day he had been waiting for since he first set eyes on one Blaine Anderson from the steps of Dalton Academy.

"You almost ready, kiddo?" Burt Hummel asked his son.

Kurt turned from the window with a smile. "Just let me do one last check of my hair."

Burt nodded and smiled as he watched his son primp. "You know, you really did find a winner with Blaine."

Kurt grinned at his father in the mirror. "I do. He's so impossibly perfect that it's almost sickening. But I wouldn't change a single thing about him or the life we have together."

"I'm so happy for you," Burt said as he pulled Kurt into a hug. "I've only ever wanted you to be happy, and it's pretty clear the Blaine makes you happy."

"Don't wrinkle the suit!" Kurt exclaimed as he stepped out of his father's embrace.

**BKBKBKBKBK**

The ceremony was perfect: exactly what Kurt had always dreamed. He and Blaine had chosen to get married at a resort in upstate New York, part way between their families and their new friends in New York. The ceremony was held beside a picturesque lake with wild flowers in bloom all around them. The weather was flawless, too; not too hot and not too cold, with plenty of sunshine.

After exchanging vows with Finn standing up for Kurt and Cooper standing up for Blaine as their witnesses, they made their way back down the aisle to the sounds of "Teenage Dream" being played by a string quartet. Many who knew how they met smiled at the memory.

Their friends from McKinley and Dalton had all come, but most importantly, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson had flown back from Japan for the occasion. After their two years were up, they had opted to stay and continue working for the State Department and rarely came home. But they were here now and that made Blaine deliriously happy.

The reception was held under a huge tent just steps away from where they held the ceremony. The décor was impeccably elegant, Kurt having spent more than a year getting everything arranged exactly the way he wanted them. But in the end, he had to acknowledge that it was Blaine that made the day perfect just by showing up.

After the meal and the toasts and the first rounds of dancing, Kurt and Blaine finally had the opportunity to sit for a few minutes with their friends.

"So, I heard a rumor that you two have a show coming out soon," Rachel said as she leaned into Finn's side. She was wearing an engagement ring. After reconnecting last year, the two had finally gotten re-engaged over Christmas. Now Finn was working for a high school in Northern New Jersey and they were buying a little house together. Rachel would commute to New York for her shows and Finn would teach music to the next generation.

"It's all true," Kurt said with a smile. "We finally completed our musical and have gotten backing to produce it off-Broadway. Blaine wrote the score and we wrote the book together. I, of course, will be playing the lead since I'm between roles currently. And because this role was literally written for me."

"And you'll be playing opposite your adoring husband," Blaine interjected. He had made quite the career from writing songs for other artists, like Santana, and he had a small following for his own work recordings, but he was actually excited to be going on stage with Kurt again after so long.

"What's this show about?" Tina asked.

"Us," Kurt said. "Well, mostly Blaine and me, but all of us really."

"The story is loosely based on our experiences in glee club in high school," Blaine said. "And how that brought the two of us together."

"There's a skanky villain who tries to keep us apart," Kurt said with a wrinkled nose. Even after all that time, he didn't like thinking about Sebastian. "And there's a _West Side Story_ feel to the whole thing since the two boys are from opposing show choirs."

"But mostly it's fun and light-hearted," Blaine said. "We didn't want to make it too heavy, and we've had great responses from the readings we've done so far. We were going to ask if you wanted a role, Rachel. I know that it's a small step down from what you've been doing, but…"

"Well, I am between projects right now," Rachel said. "Are you sure I couldn't play the lead?"

"It's two boys, Rachel," Kurt said dryly. "But you can be the annoying girl who tries to hog all the solos."

"That's a stretch," Puck muttered sarcastically. Surprisingly, Noah Puckerman had become one of the couple's closest friends. After Finn graduated and decided to head east, Puck had decided to come with him. He was now working as a paramedic for the city of New York and quite happy, too. He was dating a rather nice girl who loved it when Puck would get out his old guitar and sing to her.

Beside him, Mercedes laughed loudly. "I think it would be a perfect part for you, Rachel."

"I'll have to speak with my agent," Rachel said.

"Speaking of agents," Mercedes groaned. "Mine wants me to do a small tour this summer, but I am so not feeling it."

"What?" Santana scoffed. "I love to tour. All those adoring fans!"

"Since Brit does all the choreography for your shows and can travel with you I can see why you wouldn't mind," Mercedes said. "But my man has a 9 to 5 job that doesn't include months off for tours."

"How is Sam, by the way?" Tina asked. "I haven't seen him in ages."

Tina and Mike had gotten married a week after graduating from college and were both working in Chicago with a theater company.

"He was really sad he couldn't come," Mercedes said. "But he got put in charge of the company's annual retreat and he had to be there. It's a big promotion, but it's been a pain in the ass for both of us."

"Anyone hear from Quinn lately?" Puck asked. Most of the others shook their heads, but Kurt looked like he was going to burst with news.

"You know that Artie went to Yale, too, right?" Kurt said in full gossip mode. "Well, they started hanging out and were friends. I asked them both a million times if it was anything more, but they both denied it. At first Quinn was still mooning over leaving Joe. Then Artie dated some girl from Vermont. But…"

"After Quinn graduated, she took a job with a marketing company in DC," Blaine said; not quite as eagerly as Kurt, but still gossipy. "She and Artie kept in touch, including trips to see each other."

"So when Artie graduated last year, he took a job in DC, too," Kurt said. "They have apparently finally gotten together. I think Artie plans to propose soon."

"No way," Puck scoffed. "Seriously?"

"Cross my heart," Kurt vowed. "I got the scoop directly from Quinn. They were pretty upset that they couldn't make it for the wedding, but Artie's dad has been sick and they went back to Ohio."

"Un-freaking-believable," Santana said, but there was a smile on her face as she said it. "Way to hit that, Crips."

The talk turned to some of the younger glee kids and what they were up to after that. Rory had eventually gone back to Ireland, but Joe, Wade, and Sugar all seemed to be doing well for themselves. Mr. Schuster and Miss Pillsbury were happily married and now had two kids together. In all, it seemed that while not everyone's dream had come true exactly the way they planned, everyone was happy.

Kurt and Blaine were soon pulled away to cut the cake, and then there was more dancing. As the lights faded from the sky, Kurt and Blaine had the chance to sing to each other while their friends and family danced or watched from the tables.

"Elevator buttons in morning air," Kurt sang as he swayed in Blaine's arms and their friends and family looked on. "Strangers' silence makes me want to take the stairs. If you were here we'd laugh about their vacant stares, But right now my time is theirs."

Blaine took over the next part. "Seems like there's always someone who disapproves. They'll judge it like they know about me and you, And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do. The jury's out, my choice is you."

Together they sang the chorus. "So don't you worry your pretty little mind; People throw rocks at things that shine. And life makes love look hard. The stakes are high, the water's rough; But this love is ours."

Blaine sang alone again. "You never know what people have up their sleeves. Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me, Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles, But I don't care 'cause right now you're mine."

"And you'll say," they sang together. "Don't you worry your pretty little mind; People throw rocks at things that shine. And life makes love look hard. The stakes are high, the water's rough; But this love is ours."

"And it's not theirs to speculate," Kurt sang and kissed Blaine's cheek. "If it's wrong and Your hands are tough But they are where mine belong and I'll fight that doubt and give you faith With this song for you."

"Cause I love the gap between your teeth," Blaine sang with a teasing smile that made Kurt give him a closed-mouth grin in return. "And I love the riddles that you speak, And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored, 'Cause my heart is yours."

"When did Kurt get tattoos?" Finn asked Rachel, but she just shushed him.

"So don't you worry your pretty little mind," They sang to each other once again. "People throw rocks at things that shine. And life makes love look hard. Don't you worry your pretty little mind; People throw rocks at things that shine. But they can't take what's ours. They can't take what's ours. The stakes are high, the water's rough. But this love is ours."

As the music faded and everyone clapped for the newlywed Anderson-Hummels, Blaine kissed Kurt passionately. "I love this love of ours," Blaine said.

A little breathlessly, Kurt nodded. "Me too." And then he was too busy kissing his husband again to say anymore.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, thus ends my view of how the writers should write Klaine in the future, but we all know that it won't go like that. At least not exactly.
> 
> FYI, the song that Blaine and Kurt sing to each other is "Ours" by Taylor Swift. It's where I got the title for the story and it seemed to fit the theme of this little story.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. It really do appreciate every bit of support from you guys. It keeps me posting. (I'd write even if I never posted a word, just because I like playing with my favorite characters.) See you again next time! Jules


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